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The autonomous solution traveled 2,400 miles from California to Florida in five days, making regular stops to allow the safety driver rest breaks.

The cross-country expedition—more than four times the distance of a previous Los Angeles-to-El Paso test route—provides a glimpse into the future of transportation.

“We think that safety is super important to everything we’re doing,” according to Embark CEO Alex Rodrigues. “So we don’t want to be taking any risks when we’re testing this system.”

Which is why the company requires a human in the front seat, poised to take control of the vehicle if necessary.

This is the future of long-haul transportation (via Embark)

“And that way we’re able to go out and test this as much as possible, while being incredibly confident that everything we’re doing is safe,” Rodrigues added.

Embark isn’t looking to completely replace people with robots: Its current design relies on partner Ryder’s trucks and drivers to ferry freight between warehouses and the interstate, where Embark’s computer takes over.

Eventually, the firm will roll out fully autonomous lorries that can make the trek from L.A. to Jacksonville in no more than two days.

If all goes according to plan, long-haul trips will require fewer drivers and boost overall efficiency.

The company hopes to acquire 40 trucks by the end of the year (via Embark)

“Roads will be safer. Goods will be cheaper. Truckers will be called upon to use their skills in new ways while the truck itself becomes a trusted navigation partner,” the Embark website said.

Using a level two, or “hands off,” autopilot system comprised of sensor data and onboard machine learning, the vehicle can easily handle major thoroughfares without detailed maps.

As reported by TechCrunch, Embark’s truck just arrived back on the West Coast, and the team is collecting data on disengagements and human intervention.

But, according to reports from onboard drivers, “the vast majority of the driving was autonomous,” with “hours at a time with no disengagements, and when they did occur they were usually only a few seconds” long, Rodrigues noted.